Principal Kalin Cross

October 24, 2024

Dear Pirate Families,

I hope this message finds you well as we settle into the heart of the school year! October is such a special time, and we’ve just wrapped up an incredible Homecoming week. I want to take a moment to reflect on the success of Homecoming and share a few important updates.

Homecoming Success!

Homecoming was an absolute hit! From the rally to the parade, and of course, the Homecoming Dance, I was blown away by the spirit and involvement of our students, staff, and families. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces, showing school pride, and coming together as a community! Special thanks to our leadership, staff, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the week such a memorable one. I want to also thank our color guard for hosting our homecoming dance.  These traditions are part of what makes PHS such a vibrant and welcoming place.

The Importance of Attendance

As we move further into the quarter, I want to stress the importance of consistent attendance. Regular attendance is key to academic success and personal growth. When students miss school, they miss out on valuable learning experiences, class discussions, and the opportunity to connect with their peers and teachers. We understand that things like illness and emergencies happen, but whenever possible, please prioritize getting your student to school on time each day. If you need any support with attendance-related concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to our office.

At PHS we believe that communication between home school and families is the key to our student's success. We ask, when possible, to please call the attendance office before 8:40 a.m. to let us know your child will not be at school for the day. You may also leave a phone message for us at any time 541-535-4456.  

Phoenix High School will use the following parameters when marking an absence as an Excused Absence: 

• Illness, including mental and behavioral health of the student 
• Medical or health care appointments 
• Emergencies that require the student’s absence 
• Religious holidays and instruction 
• School-sponsored activity 
• Other reasons deemed appropriate by the school administrator when advance satisfactory arrangements have been made with the school

A Call to Serve: Join Our School Site Council!

We are looking for parent and community volunteers to join our School Site Council. This is a fantastic opportunity to be involved in shaping the future of Phoenix High School. The School Site Council plays an important role in developing our school’s goals, reviewing data, and helping guide decisions about programs and resources. Your voice and input are invaluable, and we would love to have more diverse perspectives represented. This year, if you're interested in serving on the council, please contact our office for more information. Meetings are held monthly, and your participation would truly make a difference.

We’re looking for your feedback!

Will you take a few minutes to fill out this survey? We’re gathering information on how we can better serve students and families in our community, and the information you provide will help us shape those goals.

Coming Soon: Conferences:

Save the dates for conferences! We will be sharing more information on what you can expect and how to sign up for conferences soon!

Families of Seniors: What’s Coming Up?

As we hit our stride in your student’s last year of high school, we want to make sure you know about how to get involved in an over 40-year tradition, Grad Night! Our first meeting will be on

11/6 at 6 PM in the PHS Library. This is the committee’s first meeting, so all are welcome to get involved!

Thank you for your continued support of our school community. I am so proud of all that we’ve accomplished together so far this year, and I look forward to what’s to come.

Kalin Cross

Principal, Phoenix High School

July 2024

Hello Pirate Families,

I hope this message finds you well and that you are having a restful and enjoyable summer break. As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we are very excited to welcome students back on campus. Information on our Welcome Back Event is coming to your mailbox soon, and we can’t wait to kick start a great year! 

In addition to our upcoming event, I wanted to remind you of our new cell phone policy that will be implemented this year: Cell Phone usage on the Phoenix High School campus will be limited;  Students must keep cell phones silenced and away in a backpack or locker during instruction and passing period times. Students will be allowed to use cell phones before the first bell of the day, during breakfast break, lunch break, and after the last school bell rings. At all other times, cell phones will be silenced and in a backpack or locker.  

As previously stated in a letter I sent out in June, we believe that this updated policy will help reduce distractions, enhance student engagement, and create a more positive culture and climate for PHS students. We also know that limited cell phone usage has created a positive impact on mental health and social dynamics for teens.

We appreciate your support and cooperation in our adoption of this new policy and ask that you chat with your student about it.  You can also support this policy by saving our main office number (541-535-1526) and using it to connect with your student if you need to connect during instructional hours. I think it is also important to note that we have added office support to help with the expected increase in phone calls. Additionally, here is a copy of our 2024-25 Bell Schedule so you know when your student is in class.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the new cell phone policy, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’d be glad to answer any questions you may have and to address any of your concerns. 

Thank you for your attention to this important update. We look forward to a successful and productive school year ahead. With gratitude, 

Kalin Cross

Principal, Phoenix High School

June 2024

 

 

Hello Pirate Families!

I hope this letter finds you well! Before I depart for summer break, I wanted to share that PHS is making a change to the cell phone policies and procedures on campus. 

Cell Phone usage on the Phoenix High School campus will be limited;  Students must keep cell phones silenced and away in a backpack or locker during instruction and passing period times. Students will be allowed to use cell phones before the first bell of the day, during breakfast break, lunch break, and after the last school bell rings. At all other times, cell phones will be silenced and in a backpack or locker.  

This is a change from previous years when teachers set individual cell phone policies in their classrooms. You may be asking, why this shift? Truth be told, there are several reasons. 

• Students have consistently communicated that they are worried about the mental health of their peers. 

• Our staff has suggested that cell phones are a major distraction to student engagement in the classroom. 

• Parents have reported that they struggle to limit screen time for their teens. 

We know that this is not a change for our incoming 9th-grade students. Please help support this policy by saving our main office number and using it to connect with your students during instructional hours. We have added office support to help with the increase in phone calls.

Main office number: 541-535-1526

Here is a copy of our 2024-2025 Bell Schedule so you know when your student is in class:

2024-25 Bell Schedule.

We understand this is quite a change and may require some adjustment for our students and families. However, we firmly believe that this policy will greatly benefit our school community by fostering a more productive and respectful learning environment. Look forward to more details about this change coming this summer.

Thank you for your support and cooperation as we implement these changes. Should you have any questions or concerns, I’d love to connect. With gratitude, 

Kalin Cross

Principal, Phoenix High School